Carding apparatus and method



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CARDING APPARATUS AND METHOD l Original Filed June 6, 1955 1l Sheets-Sheet 6 NOV. 3, 1959 E, CLARK 2,910,733

CARDING APPARATUS AND METHOD E. CLARK CARDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Nov. 3, 1959 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed June 6, 1955 Nov. 3, 1959 E CLARK 2,910,733

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United States Patent CARDING APPARATUS AND METHOD Ernest Clark, Quincy, Mass., assigner to Abington Textile Machinery Works, Abington, Mass., a trust of Massachusetts y 8 Claims. (Cl. 19-98) The present invention relates to carding machines and methods, especially carding machines and methods for carding cotton stock.

In cotton carding machine operation, it is necessary to stop productive carding at relatively frequent intervals in order that the cylinders may be stripped or cleaned. According to the customary method now used commercially, when stripping is required, the feed is thrown out manually and the calender rolls are` stopped. The continuous rotation of the doffer cylinder breaks the web between the doifer comb and the calender rolls. The dotler cylinder and card cylinder are then stripped, usually by pneumatic means. Thereafter the feed isfrestored. A substantial time is required after the `feed is restored for the fibers to build up sufficiently on the doier cylinder to be removed as a satisfactory web bythe comb, When the fibers eventually build up to a web of 'satisfactory weight or thickness, the operator must piece the new web being removed from the ldoifer cylinder to the broken end of the old one. This operation calls for considerable skill and judgement by the operator and in any event it is unsatisfactory and costly because a web portion of excess weight is formed at the area or locality where the piecing operation takes place. Besides being over weight at the `area where the new and old webs are joined, the fibers of the new and old webs frequently are not intimately intermingled suiliciently to form a secure and continuous bond between the new and old webs and consequently breakage is apt to occur at this area during subsequent processes. Furthermore, the necessity of joining the old and new webs by hand is time consuming and limits the number of cards which can be watched and operated by an operator.

In U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661 an apparatus is described for use with a conventional carding machine with a conventional oscillating doffer comb. In this apparatus, the newly formed web is automatically pieced to the broken end of the old web on resumption of carding operation, whereby a continuous web is formed. The broken end of the old web is held by the stationary comb during the stripping operation. In order to do this it is necessary that the comb be stopped at its lowermost position prior to commencing the stripping operation. When the comb is in such a position, the old web is held satisfactorily, but after the stripping operation is completed and the stock begins to build up on the doffer cylinder before operation of the comb is resumed, the stock built up on the doffer frequently catches on the comb. After the stock is sufficiently built up and the comb starts its oscillation, the bers which are so caught on the comb produce relatively thick portions in the final web which extend over a number of inches and which are highly undesirable. The resulting web also has neps (portions which are uncarded and are knotted or otherwise not properly combed out) and this, too, is very detrimental to good carding. In order that the comb shall be stopped at its lowermost position prior to commencing the stripping operation, complicated and relatively expensive machinery and parts are required which are very diicult to maintain and to properly operate. A manual operation is required not only to initiate the stripping operation but also to start up the carding machine after the stripping operation is cornpleted.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method in which the web newly formed on resumption of the carding operation after stripping is automatically pieced to the end of the old web to form a bond therebetween which is as strong as any other part of the web, in which the formation of thick portions is avoided, in which the formation of neps is avoided, in which the complicated equipment required to cause the oscillating comb to stop at its lowermost position is avoided and in which once the stripping operation is initiated, such operation is completed and the normal carding operation is resumed automatically.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for removing carded stock, especially cotton carded stock, from a doffer cylinder, which avoids the use of a conventional doler comb and which, when actuation thereof is initiated, automatically commences to remove carded stock from the doifer cylinder in the form of a satisfactory web. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stripping device and method which assures proper stripping of all portions of the doifer cylinder, and which l is provided with a timing device which automatically permits stripping of the doffer cylinder by the doifer nozzle for a predetermined time after the cylinder nozzle reaches the end of its traverse, whereafter the stripper is automatically shut olf.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel timing device for attachment to carding machine stripping devices.

Still another object is to provide an improved carding apparatus and method.

Other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In accordance With the present invention, rolling means, preferably a pair of cooperating oppositely rotating take olf rolls, is provided to roll the carded stock off the doifer cylinder instead of a conventional reciprocating or oscillating comb. Y

Means are provided for stopping the rotation of the take off rolls prior to each stripping operation and for holding such rolls stationary during such stripping operation while the doifer and card cylinders continue to rotate. The stationary take off rolls grip and hold stationary the web which was pulled off the doffer cylinder before the rotation of the rolls was stopped, whereby the end of the then stationary web is broken by the continued rotation of the doifer cylinder. The end fibers of the broken end of the web are gripped and held by the take off rolls. The take off rolls and doffer cylinder are` s0 designed and located with respect to each other that the circumferential distance between the portion of one of the rolls closest to the doifer cylinder and the portion of such roll closest to the other of said rolls is less than about 0.875 inch, which, in the case of cotton stock, is the length of the shortest fibers which come through the carding operation and are present in the card web in susbtantial amounts. Most of the extremely short bers are removed from the stock during carding and do not come through the cardingoperation to the doifer. Preferably such circumferential distance is not greater than about 0.8054 inch.

Means are also provided for stopping the rotation of the calender rolls and feed at the same time that the take olf rolls are stopped so that during stripping the old web is held stationary between the take otf and calender rolls and the feed does not feed stock to the lickerin and card cylinder.

Means are also provided to automatically actuate the feed when the stripping operation reaches or nears completion but not to .actuate the take oif rolls and calender rolls until a suflicient time has elapsed after the feed is actuated to permit bers to be built up on the doifer cylinder to the required weight, after which the take off and calender rolls are automatically actuated. The delay between the actuation of the feed and the actuation of the take off andcalender rolls is brought about by a timing mechanism which is automatically activated at the same time as the activation of the feed and which, within a predetermined time after being activated, automatically actuates the take lol'l and calender rolls. Such timing mechanism delays actuation of the take olf rolls and calender rolls after actuation ofthe feed until the doffer cylinder has made a predetermined number of revolutions, at which time the carded stock has built up sufficiently on the doifer cylinder so that it can be removed as a web of satisfactory weight and thickness. At the conclusion of the timing cycle the take off rolls are automatically actuated by the timing mechanism and when so actuated, roll or peel oif from the doifer cylinder carded stock together with the end bers of the broken web as a continuous web of substantially uniform weight.

.cylinder to be stripped for a predetermined time after the card cylinder nozzle of the stripper has reached the end of its traverse, whereafter the stripper is automatically shut otf.

Other features of the invention consist of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts and certain methods which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of a portion of a carding machine embodying the present invention with the apparatus of the present invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stripper device of Fig. l in the position which it occupies at the end of its traverse during a stripping operation;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Fig. l, the position of the stripper and control mechanism at the commencement of a stripping operation, when the feed vrolls, calender rolls,` and take off rolls are deactuated,

being shown in full lines and the position thereof at the completion of the stripping operation when the` feed rolls, calender rolls and take off rolls are operably engaged and the carding machine is in normaloperation,

being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the take oif rolls, take oif roll wipers, and bracket assemblies for supporting the same;

Fig. 5 is a View taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation partially in section of the bracket assembly of Fig. 5 showing a part of the wipers andrtake off rolls;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 with bolt 47 removed and showing the bracket assembly for the upper take off roll and upper and lower wipers;

Fig. 8 is a view taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 6 showing the arms for supporting the wipers for the take oif rolls;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view partially in section of the front part of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. l0 is a section along the lines 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is asection taken along the lines 11-11 of Fig. 4 during normal carding operation;

Fig. 12 is the same as Fig. 11, after the take off rolls animes have been stopped but before the doler cylinder has been stripped;

Fig. 13 is the same as Fig. l2, after the dotfer cylinder has been stripped but before the feed has been actuated;

Fig. 14 is a left side elevation showing the disengaging gear and control for disengaging the doier cylinder gear from the calender and take off rolls;

Fig. 15 is a top plan view, partially in section, of the left side of `the apparatus, showing the disengaging gear for disengaging the doffercylinder gear from the gears of the calendar rolls and take otf rolls;

Fig. 16 is a section taken along the lines 16-16 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the control and timing mechanism, while the feed drive as well as the take off rolls and calender rolls are disengaged from driving connection with the dotfer drive. This figure shows the position of the parts of the timing mechanism when the control linkage is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3;

Fig. 18 is a view taken along the lines 18-18 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a View taken along the lines 19-19 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 2O is a view taken along the lines 20-20 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 21 is similar to Fig. 18 except that the dotler drive is engaged with the feed mechanism and the timing mechanism has been activated, but the take off and calender rolls are still disengaged.

Fig. 22 is a section taken along the lines 22-22 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 21 showing only the timing mechanism when in a neutral position with the feed mechanism, the take olf rolls and calender rolls all engaged. This figure shows the position of the parts of the timing mechanism during normal carding operation and while the control linkage is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged front view of the feed throw-in rod of Fig. 3 showing in detail the throw-in rod and throw-in rod actuating latch of the stripper in full lines while the rod is being moved axially to the left, as viewed in the figure, by the movementV of the stripper from one of its limits of movement in which the feed, take olf and calender rolls are deactuated and which is shown in full lines in Fig. 3, toward the other of its limits of movement rin which the feed rolls and timing mechanism are actuated and which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and showing in dotted lines the rodand latch when said rod has reached its other limit and the latch is deactuated; Fig. 25 is a section taken along the lines 25-25 of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is like Fig. 24 showing the latch of the stripper riding over the latch engaging portion of the feed throwin rod, whichoccurs when the stripper is moved from the position to which it was moved during a preceding stripping operation, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the stripping position, shown in full lines in Fig. 3, while the latch engaging portion of the rod is in the position shown;

Fig. 27 is an enlarged section taken along the lines 27-27 of Fig. 3 withl portions of the supporting structure cut away.

Fig. 28 is a section taken along the lines 28-28 of Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 is an enlarged top view of the stripper of Fig. 3 showing the vacuum timing and `valve mechanism of the present invention, with the valve shut while the carding machine is in operation and the stripper is notbeing operated;

Fig. 30 is a view similar to Fig. 29 with a portion of the top of the vacuum timing and valve mechanism cut away and with the valve open, while the stripper is being operated during the major portion of the stripping operation and before the vacuum timing mechanism has been actuated;

Fig. 31 is a view similar to Fig. 30 when the stripper has reached the end of its traverse and the valve is held open by the suction cup and the timing mechanism has been actuated; f

Fig. 32 is an enlarged section along the lines 32-32 of Fig. 30.

In the drawings the apparatus of the present invention is shown applied to a Whitin card for carding cotton stock. The card itself is of conventional form and comprises a conventional feeding mechanism including a conventional feed roll (not shown), followed by a conventional lickerin (not shown) followed by a conventional card cylinder (Fig. l) having conventional ilats on top (not shown) followed by a conventional doer cylinder 12 having a dolfer cylinder cover 13. Two take ott' rolls 14 and 15 are provided for taking the card stock off the doter cylinder 12. Rolls 14 and 15 are followed by a conventional trumpet 16 which is followed by two conventional calender rolls 17 and 18 from which the sliver passes in a conventional manner into a conventional sliver can (not shown). The doffer cylinder 12 is driven through gears and belts from the lickerin, the lickerin in turn being driven from the cylinder 10 by a belt (not shown) and the card cylinder in turn being driven from a motor (not shown) or other drive means, all of which is conventional. The doffer shaft 19 drives through miter gears 20 and 21, the feed shaft 22, which, through conventional beveled gears (not shown) drives the feed roll (not shown) in a conventional manner. The doffer gear 23 (Fig. 14) of doffer 12, through a disengaging gear 24 (rotatably mounted on bushing 90 which is mounted on threaded shaft 91, which is in turn mounted on frame 36a) andan idler gear 25 (rotatably mounted on frame 36a), drives the calender roll gear 26 (Fig. `14), which in turn, through a shaft 27 (Figs. 9 and 14) drives sprocket gear 28, which through chain drive 29 and chain tightener 29a (mounted on a bracket 29h (Fig. 10) and comprising an idler sprocket 29e adapted to be moved to and fixed in different positions along slot 29d of bracket 29b), drives a sprocket 30 attached to one end 31 of the lower take off roll whereby such lower take off roll is rotated. The other end 31 (Fig. 4) of roll 15 is provided with a gear 32 which drives upper roll 14 through gear 34 which is attached to one end 33 of upper roll 14. Gears 32 and 34 are housed in housing 32a. Calender shaft 27 is rotatably supported at its ends in brackets 35 on frame 36h, drives calender roll 17 and is provided with a conventional protective tube 37a (Figs. 9 and 10). Upper calender roll 18 is rotatably supported by the ends of shaft 18C in the slots 18a of brackets 1gb which are attached to frame 36b and is driven by its own weight resting on lower calender roll 17. Gear 24 rotates around the outer surface of bushing 90 (Figs. 9 and 15) and may be selectively disengaged from and engaged with doifer gear 23 by rotation of bushing 92 which, through screw 110, rotates bushing 90, which, through pin 90a extending into the threads in shaft 91, causes bushing 90 and gear 24 to move outwardly and inwardly with relation to shaft 91 and gear 23 to respectively disengage and engage gear 24 from and with gear 23.

Located on shaft 22 (Fig. 17) adjacent gear 21 is an eccentric bush 94 like that described in U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661 and provided with a control handle 95 which when pulled in one direction rotates the eccentric bush 94 to cause movement of feed shaft 22 laterally outwardly from gear 20, whereby gear 21 is disconnected or thrown out of engagement with gear and the feed roll is deactuated.

The end portions 31 of lower take oi roll 15 are suppor-ted in the slots 38 of a pair of slotted lower roll brackets 39 (Figs. l to 9, especially Figs. 5 to 8) which are adjustably attached to main frame 36 by means of slots 37 in brackets 39 and bolts 40 so that the lower roll 15 can be moved away from and toward the doier cylinder 12. The end portions 31 of roll 15 extend inwardly into portions 41 (Figs. 4 and 6) which are of a greater diameter than portions 31 and on which are rotatably mounted, by means of apertures 33a, a pair of slotted top roll brackets 42, in the slots 43 (Figs. 5 and 7) of which are supported the ends 33 of top roll 14. End portions 33 of roll 14 are of lesser diameter than the remainder of roll 14 and form with the remainder of roll 14 shoulders 45 which prevent longitudinal movement of top roll 14 with respect to top roll supporting brackets 42. Lower widened wing portions 45a of brackets 42 are provided with slots 46, which together with'bolts 47 which pass through slots 46 and which screw into wing portions 4S of lower roll brackets 39, permit top brackets 42 to be rotated or swung on portions 41 of lower roll 15 to adjust the position of roll 14 away from doffer 12 and around lower roll 15. Top roll brackets 42 can be locked in such position by tightening bolts 47. Adjustably supported on ledges 42a of brackets 42 by means of bolts 50 and slots 51 are a pair of upper wiper support brackets 52 (Figs. 5 to 8) having apertures 53 in which are rotatably supported the circular ends 54 of an upper hexagonal rod 55 having adjustably mounted thereon by means of slots 56 and bolts 57 an upper roll wiper 58 which comprises a rectangular thin piece of iiexible metal, the lower edge of which is resiliently urged against the top roll 14 by means of upper tension members 59 mounted rigidly and adjustably on the reduced diameter ends 54 of upper hexagonal rod 55 inwardly of upper wiper supporting brackets 52 by means of apertures 59a and set screws 60 in threaded holes 60a (Figs. 5 to 8) and having arms 61 to the ends of which are attached the ends of springs 62, the other ends of which springs are attached to similar arms 63 of lower tension members 64 which are rigidly and adjustably mounted by means of apertures 65, set screws 66 and threaded holes 66a (see Figs. 4 and 5 to 8) on the circular ends 67 of a lower hexagonal rod 68 to which is adjustably attached by means of slots 69 and bolts 70 a lower wiper 71 similar in construction to upper wiper 58 and the upper edge of which wipes the lower roll 15 and is resiliently urged thereagainst by means of springs 62. The circular ends 67 of lower hexagonal rod 6IS are rotatably supported in apertures 72a of lower wiper support brackets 72, which are adjustably mounted on ledges 72b of the upper roll brackets 42 by means of slots 73 in brackets 72 and bolts 74. Springs 62 are attached to arms 61 by means of hooks 75, the Shanks 75a of which pass through apertures in the ends of arms 61 and have screwed on the threaded ends thereof wing nuts 76. The other ends of springs 62 are attached to the arms 63 by means of hooks 77 which are attached to the lower arms 63 by means of nuts '78 screwed on threaded Shanks 77a of hooks 77 extending through apertures in lower arms 63. It is apparent that the pressure of the upper and lower wipers 55 and 71 against upper and lower rolls 14 and 15 respectively can be adjusted by tightening or loosening wing nuts 76.

It is apparent that by means of slots 56 and 69 and bolts 57 and 70 and by means of set screws 60 and 66, the location of the wipers 53 and 71 with respect to rolls 14 and 15 can be adjusted so that the wiping edges of such wipers Contact different portions of the roll at different angles and the force asserted by such edges at any particular angle can be adjusted by means of Wing nuts 76 and set screws 60 and 66. Further adjustment of the wiping edges of the wipers 58 and 71 away from and toward their respective rolls is made possible by slots 51 and 73 in upper and lower wiper supporting brackets 52 and 72 respectively and bolts 5t) and 74. Enlarged portions 41 of roll 15 extend inwardly into the roll 15 proper which is of greater diameter than portions 41 and which form therewith shoulders 30, which abut against the inner edge of upper roll brackets 42 to prevent longitudinal movement of lower roll 15. u Lower r7 roll brackets .39 prevent longitudinal movement `of brackets 42.

The operation of throwing out the feed (by disengaging gears 20 and 21 through movement of handle 95 as hereinbefore and hereafter described) throws disengaging gear 24 out of engagement with dotfer gear 23 (see Fig. 14) whereby calender roll gear 26 and take oit roll gear 30 are no longer rotated and take oif rolls 14 and 15 and calender rolls 17 and 15 are deactuated. The portion of the web which is located between calender rolls 17 and 1S and take off rolls 14 and 15, when these rolls are stopped by disengagement of gear 24 from gear 23, is gripped and held stationary by such rolls, as shown in Fig. 12, while the doifer continues to rotate. The doifer and card cylinders are now ready to be stripped. After completion of the stripping operation as described hereafter, the feed is automatically restored by reengagement of gears 29 and 21, but resumption of the operation of the take ot rolls 14 and v15 and calender rolls 17 and 18 by reengagement of gear 24 with gear 23 is delayed until the fibers have built up on the doffer cylinder to `a proper weight. This delay is preferably accomplished by a timing mechanism to be described hereafter and which is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661. When the operation of the take off rolls and calender rolls is restored by reengagernent of gear 23 with gear 24 the fibers,v initially removed from the dor'fer automatically piece onto the end of the old web held between take off rolls-14 and 15 and calender rolls 17 and 18.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 9, 10, 14 and 15 and 17 to 23, the eccentric bush 94 mounted on shaft 22 (Figs. 17, 22) is rotatably mounted in aperture 94h in bracket 94a which extends from main frame 36. A slot 95a is provided in frame 94a to permit turning movement of handle 95 which is attached to bush 94 by means of screw 95k (Fig. 22) so that turning of such handle rotates eccentric bush 94. Eccentric bush 94 carries a throw collar 96 having a pin 97 which normally engages a pin 98 on a pulley 99 mounted loosely on bush 94 for rotation therearound. Pins 97 and 98 constitute a pin .clutch through which rotation of collar 96 in one direction (counterfclockwise as viewed in Figs'. 17 and by rotation of bush 94 drives and rotates pulley 99 but rotation of collar 96 in the other direction (clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 19 and 23) does not drive pulley 99, but rather in such case, pin 97 moves away from pin 98. Connected to pulley 99 is a liexible strap or chain 100 which is secured at its other end to a pulley 161 (Figs. 18, 20, 21 and 22). The pulley 101 turns 0n a shaft 192 which is mounted on portion 102e of bracket 173 which is mounted on main frame 36 by means of bolts 174. Pulley 101 is rigidly attached to pulley 11l2b which rotates with pulley 101 and which drives in a counter-clockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. 18, 19 and 23) through pin clutch 103, a pulley 194 also rotatably mounted on the shaft 102. Pulley 194 is connected by a chain pull 195 with a counter weighted arm 1116 (Figs. 1, 3 and 14), which has a counterweight 106g attached thereto and which is itself attached to a shaft 107 (see Figs. 1 and 3) which is rotatably mounted in brackets 197er which are mounted on the main frame 36. Shaft 107 extends across the machine to the pulley 19S which is mounted on such shaft and which has a cable 109 connected with the bushing 92 of the disengaging gear 24 (see Figs. 14 and 15). Bushing 92 is fixed to bushing 90 by means of screw 111i so that rotation of bushing 92 by cable 169 in one direction rotates bushing 91) in such direction to cause the latter, through pin 90a and threaded shaft 91, to move axially outwardly, there-V by carrying gear 24 which is out of engagement with gear 23. Gear 24 always remains Vin engagement with idler gear 25. Rotation of bushing 90 in an opposite direction by cable 109 causes gear 24 to move axially inwardly and reengage gear 23. Counterweight 1tl6a normally and during carding, maintains arm 106, shaft 107, pulley 198, cable 109, bushing 92 and bushing 90 in such a position that gear 24 is engaged with gear 23 and at the same time asserts a pull on pulley 99, through chain pull 1115, pulley 104, pin clutch 103, pulley 101 and chain 1116, to cause such pulley 99 to normally be positioned at the limit of its clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 19 and 23, and as shown in Fig. 23 with pin 9S abutting against pin 97, when collar 96 and bush 94 are in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which is the position they are in during normal carding operation.

Collar 96 is attached to eccentric 94 by means of ears 111 and screw 112`(Figs. 17 and 19) so as to be adjustable around the eccentric 94 and has a crank `arm 113 to one end of which is pivotally attached by means of pivot pin 113e a bent link 114, the other end of which is pivotally attached by means of pin 114a to one end of a lever 115 which is pivotally mounted at an intermediate portion by means of bolt 116 to a bracket 117 attached to the doffer shroud 118. The other end of arm 115 is pivotally attached by means of pivot pin 119 to a collar 119a adjustably attached to the end po1tion of a throw out rod 12), which is mounted for axial movement on stripper traverse brackets 121 (Fig. 3) by means of apertures 121e in such brackets which are greater in diameter than the diameter of the rod 120. Rod has attached thereto at a predetermined point intermediate its ends a latch lock 122 one end of which forms a shoulder 123a, and the other end of which is frustoconical in shape at 12401. Rotation .of handle 95 and consequently eccentric bush 94 from the position shown in full lines (Fig. 3) to the position shown in dotted lines with consequent rotation of collar 96 causes pivotal movement of link 114 and arm 115 from the position in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which causes axial movement of rod 120 from the position in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines. Rotation of handle 95 in an opposite direction (from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3) causes rod 121i to move in an opposite direction (from the position shown in dotted lines back to the position shown in full lines). Furthermore, because of the linkage connection shown, axial movement of rod 129 causes corresponding rotation of collar 96, eccentric bush 94 and handle 95, the direction of rotation thereof being opposite when direction of axial movement of rod 12d is reversed.

Supported on the stripper traverse brackets 121 is a conventional traverse tube 123 and screw 124 (Figs. 1, 3 and 27) supporting a traversing stripper nozzle 125 by means of a carriage 126 (Figs. 27 and 28), which is adapted to be driven along tube 123 in a conventional manner through pawl 134 by the rotation of screw 124. Pawl 134 is pivotally mounted on carriage 126 by means of pin 135 so as to protrude through a longitudinal slot 126e at the bottom of tube 12.3 and into the threads of feed screw 124. Pawl 1.34A is so balanced on pin 135 that the driving end thereof is normally in driving engagement with screw thread 124. Lifting of the opposite end 13451 (see Fig. 3) of pawl 134 either by hand or automatically by pin 256 when the stripper reaches the end of its traverse, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, causes the driving end of pawl 134 to become disengaged from feed screw 124. Stripper nozzle is mounted on carriage 126 by means of bracket 127 (Figs. l and 27) which is attached to carriage 126 by means of bolts 129 (Figs. 27 and 2S) and which is attached to stripper nozzle 125 by means of bolts 13). Bracket 127 has a groove 12,3 which runs along the back surface thereof and -which forms with fiat surface 1281 of carriage 126, an aperture 12351. Slidably received in aperture 123g is the shank 131 of a latch 132 also having a horizontal leg 133, the bottom of which, during normal carding operation rests upon, and during most of the stripping operation rests upon, and travels along rod 120 as shown in Figs. 24 to 26 and Figs. 27 and 28, due to the Weight of latch 132. Attached to the doi-ler cover 13 in the path of the latch 132, by means of bolts 136, is a latch guide `137 having opposite sloped sides 138 and a flat top surface 139, the leg 133 being adapted to ride up one slope 138, along the top surface 139 and down the other slope 138 of guide 137, as shown in Figs. 25 and 26, when latch 132 moving with stripper 125 reaches guide 137, thereby causing shank 131 to slide upwardly and downwardly in aperture 12851.

Feed screw 124, guide 137, rod 120, block 122 and stripper 125 are so located that when stripper 125 is moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, during a stripping operation and by means of feed screw 124, leg 133 rides along the top of rod 120 until it contacts shoulder 12361 of block 122, which is at that time in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 (where it was moved by throwing out handle 95 preparatory to a stripping operation) whereafter, upon continued traverse of the stripper and through engagement with shoulder 123a, it moves rod 120 as shown in Figs. 24 and 25, axially .to the left. When leg l133 reaches the sloped surface 138 of guide 137 it rides up slope 138 and out of contact with shoulder 123er, along the top surface 139, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 24 and 25, down the other slope 138 and continues along rod 120 until the stripper reaches the end of its traverse, in which position it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Because leg 133 is moved out of contact with shoulder 123a, rod 120 comes to rest in the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 24, in which `position the feed roll is actuated and the timing mechanisrn for actuating the take olf and calender rolls is also actuated. In the event that the stripper is moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 (Where it is ordinarily located during a carding operation and Where it was moved to during a preceding stripping operation) to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, preparatory to a stripping operation, and rod 120 has been previously `moved to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and Fig. 26 by throwing out handle 95, so that block 122 is in the position shown in full lines, leg 133 moves up the slope 124:1 of block 122 as shown in Fig. 26, along the lflat top of block 122, downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 24 and finally to the position in which the stripper 125 is ready fora stripping operation (position shown in full lines in Fig. 3). Thus, slope 12461 of block 122 permits stripper 125 to be moved from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 while the rod 120 is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, in which position the feed and take off and calender rolls are deactuated.

Assuming that the carding machine shown in the drawings is in carding operation and it is desired to carry out a stripping operation, the handle 95 is manually thrown outwardly from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, where it is normally located during carding operation, to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, to cause rotation of eccentric bush 94 and collar 96, which causes link 114, arm 115 and rod 120 to move from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, where they are normally located during carding operation, to the posi- `tion shown in full lines. The rotation of eccentric bush 94 also causes miter gear 21 to move away from and to become disconnected from miter gear 20, thereby deactuating the feed rolls. At the same time pulley 99, is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 18, 19 and 23, through collar 96 and pin clutch 97 and 98 and against the pull of counterweight 106er, thereby causing rotation of pulleys 101 and 104 against the pull of weight 106a, the latter of which operates the chain pull 105 which, through weighted arm 106, shaft 107, pulley 108, chain 109, and bushing 92 and against the pull of weight 106g, moves bushing 90 axially outwardly causing disengagement of gear 24 from gear 23 and calender rolls 10 17 and 18 and take off rolls 14 and 15 to stop rotating, as shown in Fig. 3. The train of gearing between gear 24 and take olf and calender rolls 14, 15 and 17 and 18 asserts a sumcient amount of friction to hold these rolls against rotation while gear 24 is disengaged and doffer `cylinder 12 continues to rotate. P-ulley 99, chain 100, pulley 101 and 104, arm 106, shaft 107, pulley 108, chain 109 and bushings 92 and 90 are automatically locked in this position, as described hereafter until released, as described hereafter.

At this stage, with the various parts of the apparatus in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and with calender rolls 17 and 18 and take olf rolls 14 and 15 as Well as the feed roll stationary, but with the doffer cylinder and carding cylinder continuing to rotate, the carding machine is in condition for a stripping operation.

The stripping operation is initiated by manually moving stripper 125 from the position shown. in dotted lines in Fig. 3 where it came to rest during a preceding stripping operation and where it is normally positioned during operation of the card, to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. While doing this it is necessary that the handle 134cz of pawl 134 be held up by hand so that such pawl is out of engagement with the feed screw 124. During movement of stripper 125 as aforesaid, leg 133 rides along rod 120, up one sloped surface 138 of guide 137, along surface 139, down the other sloped surface 138, along rod 120, up the sloped surface 124e of block 122, such block being in the position shown in full Ilines in Fig. 3 where it was moved by throwing out handle 95, as aforesaid, along the top of block 122 down to rod 120 and along 120. After the stripper is moved to the position in full lines in Fig. 3, the pawl handle 134a is released and it engages feed screw 124, whereby stripper 125 is driven along tube 123 toward the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and strips the doffer and card cylinders by means of doifer cylinder nozzle 125b and card cylinder nozzle 125a. The interior of the stripper is connected with a source of vacuum, as described hereafter, at any time after the calender, take ofI and feed rolls are deactuated and prior to releasing the pawl. Meanwhile, the take olf rolls and calender rolls as well as the feed roll remain stationary. As stripper 125 moves from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 toward the position shown in dotted lines, leg 133 rst slides along rod until it contacts shoulder 12361 of block 122 as aforesaid. Thereafter further movement of stripper causes latch 132 to move rod 120 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, whereafter leg 133 rides over the guide 137 out of contact with block 122 as aforesaid and rod 120 is moved no further. Thereafter, the stripper moves to the end of its traverse to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 during which time leg 133 rides along rod 120. The above mentioned movement of rod 120 from the full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position causes rotation of collar 96 through arm 115, link 114 and crank 113, with resulting` rotation of eccentric 94 and handle 95 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in dotted lines, which moves shaft 22 laterally and causes miter gear 21 to mesh with gear 20, thereby actuating the feed roll and a timing mechanism like that described in U.S. Patent No. 2,376,661 and shown in detail in Figs. 17 to 23, which timing mechanism, when suicient time has elapsed after the feed roll is actuated to produce a satisfactory build up of card stock on the doffer cylinder, automatically causes gear 24 to engage gear 23 whereby the take olf rolls 14 and 15 and the calender rolls 17 and 18 are actuated.

Such timing mechanism (Figs. 17 to 23) comprises an eccentric cam mounted on the pulley 99 and having a latching shoulder 161. Eccentric cam 160normally has resting thereupon a dog 162 secured by bolts 162a to an arm 163 pivotally attached at 163a to a bracket 173 attached to main frame 36 by bolts 17d. The arm 163 carries at its outer end a rotatable timing gear 164 on a fixed shaft 166e which timing gear 164 carries a knock off member 165. The weight of arm 163 causes dog 162 to rest on cam 160. The end of knock oif member 165 extends beyond the periphery of the timing gear 164 and normally engages a stop 166 adjustably secured in a slot 167 in a portion of the arm 163. A torsion spring 163 urges the gear 164i into a direction to hold the knock off member 165 against the stop 166. The entire timing mechanism is supported on bracket 173. Feed shaft 22 is provided with a gear 169. Large idler gear 170 and smaller idler gear 172 are rotatably mounted n opposite ends of shaft 171 which is supported on bracket 17211, which extends upwardly from bracket 173. Gear 170 is engaged by gear 169 when eccentric bush 94- and shaft 22 are in such a position that gears 21 and 22 are engaged; When gears 21 and 22 are disengaged by rotation of eccentric bush 9d and handle 95 from the position shown in dotted lines to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, gears 171i and 169 become disengaged. Gear 172 engages timing gear 16d when cam v160 is in the position shown in Fig. 17 and 18 so that arm 163 occupies the position shown in these figures. However, when cam 160 is rotated in the position shown in Fig. 23, arm 163 is cammed upwardly by cam 160 so that timing gear 164 is held out of engagement with gear 172.

When, before initiation of a stripping operation, the handle 95 is manually thrown out, as described above, to rotate eccentric bush 94 so as to disengage the feed, take olf rolls and calender rolls, as aforesaid, eccentric cam 160 is rotated with pulley 99 to which it is rigidly attached, through pin clutch 97 and 93, against the pull of Weight 106e and in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2l from the position shown in Fig. 23, which it occupies during normal carding operation, to the position shown in Fig. 21 so that the weight of arm 163 causes the dog 162 of arm 163 to drop and latch the shoulder 161 of the eccentric cam 160 to lock pulley 99 (attached to cam 160) the position to which it is moved when handle 95 is thrown out (with gears 23 and 24 disengaged) against the pull asserted thereon by weight 106e. At the same time, the lateral movement of shaft 22, which causes gear 21 to move away from gear 20, also causes gear 169 to move away from and consequently become disengaged from the idler gear 170. Dropping of Athe arm 163, and dog 162, as aforesaid, causes the timing gear 164 to drop sufficiently to engage the small idler gear 172. While the handle 95 is so thrown out and cam 96 and arm 163 are in such position, with the feed roll, take off rolls and calender rolls deactuated, the timing gear 164 does not revolve because the miter gears 20 and 21 are disconnected and also because the gears 169 and 170 are disengaged. This is the position of the various parts of the .timing mechanism Vduring the major portion of the stripping operation` When the rod 120 is moved by the stripper 125 during the stripping operation, to the position shown in dotted lines and the eccentric bush 94 and handle 95 are thereby moved through rotation of collar 96, as described above, into an operative position so that gears and 21 become engaged as described and the feed roll is actuated, gears 169 and 170 are at the same time moved into engagement to actuate the timer mechanism. This rotation of eccentric bush 94 and collar 96 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 19, causes pin 97 of collar 96 to mow; away from pin 9S of pulley 99. Pulley 99 and cam 160 are not rotated in a clockwise direction by the action of weight 16651 `when rotation of collar 96 moves pin 97 out of engagement with pin 98 because they are latched against rotation in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 18, by dog 162.

Consequently, when, as aforesaid, movement of rod causes' rotation of bush 94 and engagement of gears 20 and 21 and gears 169 and 170 the eccentric 160 re-v mains latched as shown in Fig. 21 so that pulley 99 is locked against rotation and consequently gear 24 remains disengaged from gear 23, whereby operation of the take off and calender rolls is not immediately resumed when the feed isrestored. However, immediately upon engagement of gears 169 and 170 and gears 20 and 21, the rotation of the feed shaft 22 causes, through gears 169, 170 and 172, rotation of the timing gear 164 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 21. Fig. 2l shows the timing gear as it is so rotating. After an interval determined by the initial setting of the knockoff 165, which is determined by the position of stop pin 166 in slot 167, the bevelled end of knockoff 165 engages and rides upwardly on thesurface of a roller 165a mounted on the end of the shaft 171. Engagement of knockoff 165 with roller 165:1 and consequent upward movement of knockoif 165 causes arm 163 to be lifted upwardly so that dog 162 is lifted out of the shoulder 161 of cam 160, whereby the downward pull of weight 106e, through pulley 99, chain 100, chain pulleys 99, 101 and 104, chain 105 and arm 106 turns eccentric 160 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2l back to its original position, as shown in Fig. 23 with pin 97 abutting pin 98. The resulting movement of arm 106, through shaft 107, pulley 108, cable 109 and bushings 92 and 90, causes gear 24 to engage doer gear 23, whereby rotation of the calender rolls and the take off rolls is actuated. It will be noted from Fig. 23 that the high part of the cam 160 engages the dog 162 after release of the latter and rotation of cam to the position shown in Fig. 23, thereby further lifting the arm 163 and maintaining it in such lifted position so that the timing gear 164 is disengaged from and is thereafter maintained out of engagement with the gear 172. As soon as timing gear 164 is disengaged from gear 172, the timing gear 164 is turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 21 by the spring 168 until the knockoff 165 again engages the stop 166, as shown in Fig. 23. After gear 24 engages gear 23 and the timing mechanism has completed its operation with the knockoff returned to its neutral position, normal carding operation begins and during such operation the timing mechanism remains in the position shown in Fig. 23, until handle 95 is again thrown out. Collar 160a, at'- tached rigidly to the end of bush 94, locks the cam 160, pulley 99 and collar 96 on bush 94. Hub 180 attached to the end of shaft 171 locks the roller 165a, gear 170 and gear 172 on shaft 171, vthe gear 169 being pinned to the shaft 22 through its hub.

` Stripper nozzle 125 (Figs. 1, 27 and 29 to 32) is c011- ventional except for the particular type of latch 132 and bracket 127, as described above.

Attached to the vacuum outlet ange 200 by means of three bolts 204 is a vacuum timing device 201 comprising a pair of superposed adapter flanges 202 and 203 spaced apart from each other by means of spacers 205 around bolts 264 and having apertures 206 and 207 which are aligned with each other and the Vacuum outlet 206e of the stripper 125, as shown in Fig. 27. Attached to the top plate 202 by means of the same bolts 204 and ilange 208a is vacuum hose adapter 208, the upper circular end 299 of which is adapted to be connected in an air-tight and conventional manner with the vacuum hose which leads to a source of vacuum (not shown) and the passage 20812 of which is aligned with passages 206, 207 and 206cv. Pivctaiy mounted to one of the bolts 204L between plates 202 and 203 is a at valve member 210 having an aperture 212 (Figs. 29 to 31) in one portion thereof, which is substantially the same size as the apertures 206 and 207 of plates 202 and 203, and a solid valve closing portion 211. Flat valve 210 is biased by means of spring 213 mounted on a bolt 214 so that normally, solid portion 211 is located between the apertures 207 and 206 as shown in Figs. 27

13 and 29, whereby vacuum is cut oi from the interior of the stripper. Bolt 214 is mounted on the lower plate 203 and has a slot 215 at the top thereof in which one end of spring 213 is anchored, the other end 216 of spring 213 being received in a groove 217 along the edge of valve plate 210. Movement of valve 210 by spring 213 is limited by recess 217a in the edge of valve 210 abutting against spacer 218 around bolt 218a passing between plates 202 and 203. Mounted on a protruding portion 219 of valve plate 210 by means of bolts 210e is a valve shutter 220 having passages 221 and 221e (Fig. 32) leading from inset shutter surface 222 to the atmosphere through a threaded portion 223 which receives a screw 224 having a tapered end 224a protruding into the passage 221a. The juncture of tapered end 224a and the threaded portion of screw 224 forms a shoulder 240. Mounted on the top of the flange portion 208a of member 208 by means of two of the bolts 204 is a suction cup bracket 226 having two upstruck anges 227 at the ends thereof, to one of which is adjustably mounted by means of a threaded stud 228 a suction cup 229. Pivotally mounted between the two anges 202 and 203 by means of pin 230e is a pawl 230 spring biased by means of spring 231a, which is supported by pins 20411 and one of the bolts 204, so that when valve plate 210 is manually pivoted about its pivot 204 in a counter-clockwiseV direction as viewed in Fig. 29 against the force of` spring 213 until the shutter surface 222 of shutter 220 is pressed tightly against the edges of suction cup 229 to spread the same, as shown in Figs. 30 and 32, such pawl 230 is forced into latching engagement with a shoulder 231 of valve plate 210 to positively maintain valve plate 210 in such position, with aperture 212 of valve plate 210 aligned with apertures 206 and 207 so that a vacuum is produced in stripper 125. Attached t the bottom of pin 230e is a throw out arm 232 which, when rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 30, forces pawl 230 out of engagement with shoulder 231 against the force of spring 231a, whereby spring 213 causes valve plate 210 to move clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3l, causing suction cup 229 to expand slightly as shown in Fig. 31 so that the space between the surface 222 and the edges of suction cup 229 is increased in volume, thereby causing a suction in such space which is greater than the force of spring 213 and which prevents movement of plate 210 to its closed position and thereby maintains aperture 212 aligned with apertures 206 and 207 so that a vacuum remains in the stripper. This slightmovement of the plate 210 and the resultant expansion ofcup 229 moves shoulder 231 suficiently, as shown in Fig. 31, so that pawl 230 is no longer in a position in which it can engage shoulder 231. As soon as a suction is created within the space between the edges of cup 229 and the shutter face 222, air begins to leak between the threads of screw 224 and threaded aperture 223 through passageways 221e and 221 into such space until the pressure Within such space is neutralized sufficiently so that spring 213 forces valve plate 210 to the closed position shown in Fig. 29 with the solid blocking portion 211 of valve plate 210 seal- -ing off aperture 206 from 207 and the interior of the stripper is cut off from the source of vacuum. The suction between space 222 and the edges of suction cup 229, as shown in Fig. 3l, maintains valve 210 in an open position from the time that pawl 231 is deactuated and a suction is built up in such chambe1 until a suicient amount of air has leaked into the chamber to reduce such suction sufficiently so that the force asserted on valve plate 210 by spring 213 pulls surface `222 away from contact with the edges of cup 229, whereupon valve plate 210 is closed and the vacuum is shut oi from the stripper. If screw 224 is screwed inwardly until ledge 240 of such screw is jammed tightly against shoulder 241 at the juncture of passages 221e and 223 no airat all will pass into the chamber formed by sur- 14 face 222 and the edges of 229. By adjusting the screw 224 outwardly from this point the time which it takes for the pressure in the chamber between surface 222 and the edges of cup 229 to reach that amount which will permit release of valve plate 210 can be varied as desired.

In conventional strippers the vacuum in the stripper is either shut olf by hand or automatically, at the termination of the traverse of the stripper. The card cylinder nozzle a in sucking up waste iibers from the card cylinder 10, ordinarily leaves a small amount of fibers on the advance side of the nozzle, which bers cannot be carried under the card cylinder nozzle because they are too far away therefrom to be sucked up thereby. Consequently such fibers remain on the card cylinder and are taken up by the doier cylinder in the form of a heavy ribbon of fibers. These ribbons are removed by the doier nozzle 125b which, in accordance with conventional strippers, lags suiiciently behind the cylinder nozzle to make this possible. When the vacuum is turned olf at the time the stripper reaches the end of its traverse, as with conventional strippers, the ribbons formed at the end of the card cylinder when the card cylinder nozzle reaches the end of its traverse are not cleaned oft` the doier cylinder and eventually are carried into the web, causing undesirable thick spots and faulty carding. By means of applicants vacuum timing device the vacuum remains on for a predetermined time after the card cylinder nozzle 125e has reached the end of its traverse to assure that any ribbons passing through to the dofer are sucked into the doffer nozzle 1251; so that the stripping operation is properly completed. However, the vacuum cannot be kept on after the take off rollers are automatically actuated as described above.

When the stripper 125 is manually moved to its starting position, shown in full lines in Fig. 3, surface 222 of shutter 220 is forced by hand from the position shown in Figs. 27 and 29 against the edges of suction cup 229 as shown in Fig. 30, thereby forcing valve plate 210 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 29, until pawl 230 engages shoulder 231, whereupon the valve plate 210 is locked into open position and a vacuum is produced in the stripper. The stripping operation is then commenced.

During the stripping operation after the stripper 125 passes guide 139, as described above, thereby causing gears 20 and 21 to mesh and actuating the timer mechanism for the take oi and calender rolls, the stripper continues to move to the left as viewed in Figs. 3, until lever 232 contacts stop button 263 which is adjustably mounted by means of threaded portion 264 and nut 265a to a bracket 265 mounted on the traverse bracket 121. This occurs just before the pawl 134a (Fig. 3) is knocked out of the engagement with screw 124 by contact with a stop member 266 and the stripper reaches the end of its traverse (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3).

When lever 232 strikes against button 263 further traverse of the stripper causes clockwise pivotal movement of pawl 230 out of engagement with shoulder 231 against the force of spring 23M, whereupon the force of spring 213 causes plate valve 210 to pivot slightly in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 31 until a vacuum is produced in the chamber between surface 222 and the edges of suction cut 229 whereby pivotal movement of plate 210 to closed position is prevented. At this time the parts of the apparatus are in the position shown in Fig. 31. This initiates the travel of air through passages 221 and 221a until the suction is neutralized whereupon spring 213 forces valve 210 to a closed position, as shown in Fig. 29. Screw 224 is set so that valve 210 remains in open position for a sufficient length of time after the card cylinder nozzle 125a has reached the end of its traverse so that the doier nozzle 125]: picks up any `ribbons-which are on the cylinder when the cylinder nozzle reaches the end of its traverse.

The surface speed of rolls 14 and 15 should be sub- .15 stantially the same and should be at least as great as the" peripheral speed of the doifer cylinder. Preferably the peripheral speed of rolls 14 and 15 are greater than the peripheral speed of the doffer to assure the proper removal of the carded stock from thev doffer cylinder.

The peripheral speed of calender' rolls 17 and 18 are the same and should be greater than the peripheral speed of the take off rolls 14 and 15 to assure that there will be no sagging of the web between the take off rolls land calender rolls.

With the use of middling cotton stock (a stock used by a large majority of the United States manufacturers) comprised essentially of fibers ranging in relaxed length of from 'MV' to 11/16" anda doifer cylinder diameter of 27% inches and a doifer cylinder speed of 8 r.p.m. (doifer cylinder surface speed of 697.432 inches per minute and doffer cylinder production of 697.432 inches of length of web per minute) and with the use of a lower roll having a diameter of 1% inches and an upper roll having a diameter of 7s inch, a suitable production of the upper and lower rolls is 723 inches of length of web per minute (lower and upper roll surface speed of 723 inches per minute) and a suitable production of the calender rolls (using calender rolls having diameters of 3.9 inches) is 752.64 inches of length of web per minute (calender roll surface speed of 752.64 inches per minute) so that the draft between the doffer cylinder and the take off rolls is approximately 25.568 inches of length of web per minute and the draft betwen the take off rolls and the calender rolls is approximately 29.64 inches of length of web per minute.

The take oif rolls 14 and 15 are preferably made of highly polished steel but maybe made of any material, such as hard rubber, plastic, etc. which will present a smooth surface and which will not tend to cause the 'oer to adhere thereto and consequently to wrap itself therearound.

The size of the lower roll 15 is not critical and may be varied as desired. Preferably it is of greater diameter than the upper roll 14.

The diameter of the upper rollV 14 should be such that with the use of a lower roll and doiier cylinder of any particular size, the circumferential distance between the portion a (Figs. ll to 13) of such upper roll which is closest to the doffer cylinder and the portion b of'A such upper roll which is closest to the bottom roll is less than about 0.875 inch, which, in the case of cotton carding, is approximately the shortest length of fibers, which pass through thev carding machine and into the web removed from the doifer cylinder, in substantial numbers. However, an upper roll having a diameter wherein such circumferential distance is less than about 0.8054 inch is the preferred embodiment.

While I am not sure I now believe that the reason why rolls of such sizes are operative is:

During normal operation of the take off rolls 14 and 15 as shown in Fig. ll, it is believed that carded stock 300 on the doifer cylinder and web 304 removed from the doifer cylinder are in the position as shown in Fig. 11. ln other words, the stock @titl is pulled oif the doffer by the rolls 14 and 15 due to the draft thereof with relation to the doffer cylinder. The web being removed from the doffer cylinder is continuous with the carded stock on the doffer cylinder. After the feed roll, take off rolls and calender rolls are stopped and held stationary, as described above by throwing out handle 95, the continued rotation of the doffer breaks the web at 304a and the carded stock 32e@ on the doffer cylinder continues to rotate with the doffer cylinder, as shown in Fig. l2. Web 304 breaks at 304e because the fibers on the doffer cylinder, as it rotates, pull away from. the fibers gripped and held stationary by the bite of the take off rolls. These gripped fibers comprise the end fibers of the broken end 30411 of web 394 and the free' ends thereof or other fibersv so 4e11- twined therewith so as not to pull away therefrom are believed to be dragged, as shown, by contact with the rotating periphery of carded stock on the doifer cylinder' to a point on such periphery opposite to and slightly beyond the portion a of upper roll 14 which is closest to the dofer cylinder. Consequently these end or entwined fibers remain or are held between upper roll 14 and the doffer cylinder. Many of the free ends of these end or entwined fibers are carried upwardly beyond the portion. a of upper roll 14, These end or entwined fibers form a layer of fibers along the periphery of the carded stock. in other words, the continued rotation of the doffer causes the carded stock 300- thereon to have a combing effect upon the end or entwined fibers held by the two take off.

tion, the clean doffer (Fig. 13) continues to comb the` fibers held by the take off rolls and hold them in the pos-- tion shown. After the feed roll is reactivated,y as aforesaid, by engagement of miter gears 20 and 21 but before the take off rolls are actuated by the timing mechanism, card stock builds up on the surface of the doifer cylinder and contacts the end fibers which are held by the take off rolls in the same manner as the old card stock (Fig. 12)..

Whenl the take off rolls are actuated by the timing mechanism, the initial rotation of the upper roll causesthe free ends of the end or entwined fibers which are gripped between the upper and lower rolls and which form a layer upon the periphery of the fresh stock, together with the fresh carded stock which is contacting the fibers at thatatime, to be peeled off as a single web which passes between the upper and lower rolls and continues on to the calender rolls. The fact that the ends of the fibers held by the take off rolls are peeled olf together as a layer with the carded stock-causes them to intermingle and form a continuous bond.

Because the circumferential distance of the upper roll between the portion a thereof closest to the doifer roll and the portion b thereof closest to the lower roll is smaller than the shortest length of the bers present in substantial numbers in the web, the shorter fibers which are beginning to pass, and many of the larger fibers which have already in part passed, between the rolls 14 and 15 when the rolls are stopped, are whipped upwardly by contact with the periphery of the carded stock, as shown in Fig. l2, to a point adjacent to and beyond portion a of the roll 14, thereby assuring that a substantial portion of such fibers will form a layer upon a portion of the periphery of the doifer stock adjacent portion a of roll 14 and hence later will be peeled with the newly formed carded stock off from the dotfer cylinder by the upper roll when the rolls are actuated again. If the circumferential distance a-b is too large then theV shorter fibers which are just beginning to pass through the bite of the take off rolls when said rolls are stopped and most of the longer fibers which have in part passed through the bite of said rolls do not extend to and beyond the portion a of roller 14 and consequentlydo not form a layer around such periphery which will peel oif with the carded stock when the take o: rolls are reactuated.

Thus, in summary, it is believed that when the circumferential distance a-b is selected in accordance with the present invention (not greater than about 0.875 inch and preferably not greater than about 0.8054 inch), the apparatus works satisfactorily with middling cotton stock (having relaxed fiber vlengths essentially from 0.875

inch to l/f; inch), the free ends of the gripped fibers are dragged to and beyond a point on the periphery of the card stock adjacent the portion a of the upper roll and actually form a layer along the outer periphery of the card, although such layer is held stationary whereas the remainder of the card Ystock rotates with the doife'r. It is believed that because of this layer effect, the card i C t d *E C=center of axis of rotation of doifer cylinder D=center of axis of rotation of upper roll E=center of axis of rotation of lower roll e=distance between C and D (radius of dolfer cylinder -f-radius of upper roll-l-distance between doifer cylinder and upper roll) c=distance between D and E (radius of upper roll-{- radius of lower roll) d=distance between C and E (radius of doler cylinder -i-radius of lower roll+distance between doffer cylinder and lower roll) f=line passing through D which is perpendicular to the line d.

X :angle formed by the intersection of lines e and d.

Y=angle formed by the intersection of lines d and c.

Z=angle formed by the intersection of lines c and e.

d e-c or Y-Y" C 26XCircumlerence of upper roll Upper roll 14 has a diameter, circumferenceA of 2.7489 A Circumferential distance a-b on upper roll 14:.8054

The distance a-b of upper roll 14 depends on the diameter of the doifer cylinder, the diameter `of the lower roll, the diameter of the upper roll, the distance between the upper roll and the dolfer cylinder and the distance between the lower roll and the dolfer cylinder.

With the use of conventional dolfer cylinders, a lower roll having a diameter in the neighborhood of l to 2 inches and the proper distances between the doffer cylinder and the take off rolls, as described below, the circumferential distance a-b will be equal to a little more than 1A of the circumference of the upper roll which in the case of a roll having a diameter of 'Ms inch is equal to 0.687 inch.

Not only does the use of an arrangement wherein the distance a-b is less than about 0.875 inch (preferably about 0.8054 inch), produce an excellent bond `between the old web and fresh fibers upon completion of a stripping operation, but the rolls effectively `remove carded stock from the doifer cylinder when the actuation thereof is initiated during the initial starting up of the carding machine when there is no broken web end gripped by the `rolls. In other words when the carding machine is initially started up and stock is built up on the doler cylinder in the proper amount and the take oif rolls are actuated, removal of stock in the form of a satisfactory web is immediately initiated. With an arrangement having a distance a`b greater than about 0.875 inch, actuation of the take olf rolls under such conditions does not remove a satisfactory web.

It has been found that an upper roll having a diameter not greater than about% of an inch is very satisfactory withl conventional doifer cylinders (which have a diameter of about 27% inch).

The distance of the lower roll from the doer cylinder is not critical so long as it is not so great that the draft therebetween and the doifer cylinder will cause breakage of the web as it is pulled oic the doffer cylinder and so long as it is not so small that the lower roll presses the doier stock into the dofer cylinder. With the use of dolfer, take off rolls and calender rolls of the diameter and speed referred to above and with they use of cotton middling stock as referred to above, it has been found that a distance of .062 of an inch between the doifer and the lower roll gives satisfactory results.

The upper roll should be closer to the doifer than the lower roll but not so close as to contact the doifer stock with any substantial pressure while the take olf rolls are stationary and the doffer is loading up to the proper thickness to form a web of proper weight as described hereafter, and hence roll or press the doler stock into the doifer. .The minimum distance for any particular apparatus iseasily ascertained by noting whether or not the 

